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North Omaha community gathers for peace rally

OMAHA, Neb. -

Neighbors near 42nd Street and Redman Avenue gathered Tuesday evening to reclaim their neighborhood after an Omaha police officer was stabbed two weeks ago.

Homicides are down in Omaha from 22 last year at this time to 13, but community activists still say there are too many. The Rev. Bruce Williams, with Hope of Glory Church, said the area is a hotbed of potential trouble.

"Whether it be gangs, or crimes, or assaults or whatever,” said Williams.

Omaha 360 Director Jami Anders-Kemp said the neighborhood needs to know that support is there.

"That we're here for them. We’re going to walk alongside them -- the leaders in that group, in that area, the stakeholders. We just want to wrap our arms around the whole neighborhood,” said Anders-Kemp.

"To let them know we're here to support you and you're the most important person,” said Williams. “And to also to come up with ideas and solutions that can actually help this community out."

Community activists said they have a message of change for the neighborhood's troublemakers.

"If you want to change, there are people that are out there that can help you to change,” said Williams.

"We understand that jobs are a really big issue in a lot of neighborhoods in our community, and we're willing to have job fairs, and we're willing to show you that there is a different way,” said Anders-Kemp.

Anders-Kemp said it's the good people in the neighborhood who are now saying enough to violence.

"They can take a lot of credit, and we're very happy about that -- that is what the difference is. The community is willing to stand up and say, ‘No, not in my neighborhood,’” said Anders-Kamp.

Tuesday's vigil and rally is the second of four events that will be held in specific neighborhoods. The next are coming up at 16th and Victor streets and the Miller Park neighborhood.

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